The present invention relates to an electronic card connector having an ejector mechanism, particularly to an electronic card connector having an integral ejector mechanism.
Electronic card connectors are used with electronic cards and are provided with various attachments, such as ejector mechanisms for facilitating the inserting and/or ejecting of the electronic cards. Conventional ejector mechanisms, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. Re 35,938, 5,456,610, 5,644,917 and 5,139,435, are formed of various separate components, requiring an inconvenient assembly process and a high cost. Additionally, all components of the ejector mechanisms need to be precisely positioned with respect to each other, which makes manufacturing and assembling operations difficult.
A main object of the present invention is to provide an electronic card connector of small size and occupying small space within an electronic device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic card connector with an ejector mechanism which is integrally formed to simplify the manufacturing and reduce the cost of the connector.
An electronic card connector in accordance with the present invention includes an insulating housing, a plurality of conductive terminals received in the housing and an integrally formed ejector mechanism. The insulating housing includes a plurality of terminal receiving passageways for holding the conductive terminals. The ejector mechanism is integrally formed and includes a first bar and a second bar, substantially perpendicular to each other. A first ejection tab rearwardly and downwardly depends from a free end of the first bar and is substantially perpendicular to the first bar for abutting an electronic card received in the housing. An actuation portion is provided on a free end of the second bar. When a lateral force is exerted on the actuation portion, the first and second bars rotate and the first ejection tab of the first bar moves rearwardly to eject the electronic card out of the connector.